UN Experts Demand Release of Arbitrarily Detained Critics in Nicaragua Amid Allegations of Human Rights Abuses

“The harm inflicted on detainees and their families must come to an end,” the experts stated, reiterating the need for international oversight and pressure to protect human rights in Nicaragua.

UN experts have called on Nicaraguan authorities to release individuals detained for their criticism of the country's worsening human rights situation and to provide families and legal representatives with information about the detainees' conditions and whereabouts.

Following the 2018 nationwide protests, Nicaraguan authorities arrested scores of demonstrators, many of whom have since been subjected to enforced disappearances, incommunicado detention, and flawed judicial processes. Despite having completed their sentences, numerous detainees remain imprisoned under deteriorating conditions.

Pattern of Suppression

"What we witnessed following the protests in 2018, and continue to witness today, is a clear and deliberate pattern by Nicaraguan authorities aimed at silencing dissent," the UN experts stated. This suppression includes enforced disappearances, torture, sexual violence, arbitrary detention, and inhuman treatment. Legal safeguards such as access to lawyers, medical care, and family visits are commonly denied.

The experts underscored that prolonged detention has taken a severe toll on detainees’ physical and mental health. Families often remain unaware of their loved ones' whereabouts due to conflicting or misleading information from prison authorities, leaving them in anguish and fear of reprisals if they report the disappearances, particularly when living in exile.

Widespread Persecution

Since 2021, at least 427 individuals have been detained, including critics, journalists, students, human rights defenders, Indigenous leaders, and even individuals without direct political involvement. The government has extended its persecution to perceived opponents, using charges related to terrorism and national security as tools to justify detentions.

In letters to Nicaraguan authorities, the UN experts expressed grave concerns over the conditions in detention facilities like La Modelo prison. Detainees there are reportedly subjected to torture, ill-treatment, rape, denial of medical care, and extended solitary confinement in cramped, overheated cells. Such conditions put their lives at significant risk while violating their basic rights and due process.

The Impact on Families

"Families face long and painful waits for any information about their loved ones, often receiving conflicting accounts or outright denials about their detention status. This uncertainty inflicts psychological suffering on families and allows authorities to shield detainees from legal protection," the experts said.

They emphasized that keeping families in the dark constitutes inhumane treatment and serves as a cover for human rights abuses.

Calls for Action

The UN experts urged Nicaraguan authorities to immediately halt arbitrary detentions and enforced disappearances, release those still detained without just cause, and ensure families are informed about their relatives’ status. They also called for investigations into the human rights violations committed against detainees and their families.

“The harm inflicted on detainees and their families must come to an end,” the experts stated, reiterating the need for international oversight and pressure to protect human rights in Nicaragua.

This appeal aligns with growing concerns from the global community about the erosion of democratic freedoms and human rights under the Nicaraguan regime. Observers warn that the continued persecution of critics further entrenches the nation’s authoritarian governance, posing long-term risks to its social and political stability.